Airline News - Asia / Pacific.

Jan 22, 2007

Asian discounters take off with low fares, plan U.S. service this year. Dozens of new discount carriers are changing the market for travel in Asia and offering one-way tickets for as little as $15. Most of the airlines focus on short flights, but some offer long-haul routes to London. Oasis Hong Kong Airlines plans to add flights to Oakland, Calif., and Chicago later this year. Jan 18, 2007

Air China

Air China reportedly is planning to set up a Shanghai-based cargo joint venture with Cathay Pacific Airways. "We are now preparing for the joint venture program and hope to realize practical progress in the cargo business partnership with Cathay in the first half of 2007," VP Fan Cheng told China Daily. "How to significantly improve our cargo transport capabilities is an important task for Air China in 2007," he added. He said long-running attempts to reach a similar agreement with China Eastern Airlines had failed. Jan 11, 2007

China Southern Airlines 

China Southern Airlines launched thrice-weekly Beijing-Lagos service aboard an A330. Jan 18, 2007

China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines said it carried 49.21 million passengers last year, up 11.5% over 44.12 million carried in 2005. In addition, China's largest airline added 64 new aircraft in 2006, bringing its total fleet to 298 planes. Jan 17, 2007

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines Group is responding to strong passenger demand by increasing frequencies on seven international routes and putting its 2007 inflight product through a major revamp. From March 25 it will up its New York JFK frequencies from 10 to 13 per week and from June 1 Paris Charles de Gaulle will be served twice-daily, up from the current 10 weekly flights. JAL also will add a frequency on routes from Tokyo Narita to New Delhi and Moscow Sheremetyevo and from Osaka Kansai to Hanoi, Dalian, Hangzhou and Qinqdao. The latter services will be operated by newly delivered 737-800s fitted with individual IFE and AC power to most seats. On the chopping block are frequencies between NRT and Hong Kong and summer flights to Zurich. Meanwhile, JAL plans to increase charters by 13% in an attempt to cater to retiring baby boomers, with packages planned for Europe and destinations around the Pacific Rim. Jan 18, 2007

Japan Airlines

Key to growing yield for Japan Airlines will be the rollout of a major upgrade of both the domestic and international cabin products. First class will be added to domestic services in FY07 and all classes will be upgraded on international routes from FY08. In 2004 JAL introduced Class J on domestic flights, replacing an earlier business class service dubbed Superseat, and Class J has enjoyed an 85% load factor. The airline will offer three classes on some domestic services. First aircraft to be configured will be 15 777-200s. Major change to the international offering will be the introduction of a Premium Economy class, with 40 seats installed in all 777s used on routes to Europe and the US. The seats will be in a 2-4-2 configuration with a 38-in. pitch. Further upgrades will be announced later. Jan 18, 2007

Jet Airways 

Jet has seen its share of the domestic market slip on rising competition from newly launched discount carriers, but it is adding overseas routes and expects half its revenue to come from its overseas operations by March 2009. Jet has a fleet of 60 aircraft that it will expand to 89 by March 2009. It will add more routes in southeast Asia and launch US services in August. Jan 19, 2007

Jet Airways

Jet Airways will expand its international network this month to Bangkok, with flights to the US set to commence later this year. Jet told media that it plans to launch services to Newark in August and to San Francisco via Shanghai in November. It will operate A330s on the Bangkok route and 777-300ERs to the US. It currently flies to London Heathrow, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Kathmandu and Singapore. This week it inked a codeshare agreement with Thai Airways. Jan 11, 2007

Jet Airways

Jet Airways has flights from India to London, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, and Kathmandu. The 13-year-old airline said in a statement it planned to expand its current fleet to 89 aircraft by March 2009 from 60 now. Jet Airways would finance its current and future aircraft purchases by a combination of its own internal funds, commercial loans and possible future share floats, Goyal said without giving further details. Jan 9, 2007

Jet Airways

Jet Airways, India's biggest domestic airline, said it will expand its international operations with new flights to Bangkok in late January and flights to the United States later this year. Jet Airways said on Tuesday it plans to launch a regular US service in August, flying to Newark, New Jersey, and to San Francisco via Shanghai in October, executives said. The airline will use eight new Boeing 777s and five Airbus A330s, already ordered, on its international routes this year on top of six Boeing 737s for its Indian domestic service, chairman Naresh Goyal told reporters. Jan 9, 2007

Qantas

Qantas will increase its thrice-weekly Sydney-San Francisco service to five-times-weekly from March 26 by shifting flights from Los Angeles. It will add 18 "supplementary flights" to LAX between June 19 and July 28, after which it will fly 35-times-weekly to LAX and five-times-weekly to SFO. Jan 15, 2007 01/22/2007

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Editor: Aram Gesar, eMail: [e-mail] For Air Transport & Travel Business Experts contact eMail: [e-mail]

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Jan 8, 2007